MediGene Obtains Additional US Patent Protection for EndoTAG(TM)-1

Martinsried/Munich - The biotech company MediGene AG (Frankfurt: MDG, Prime Standard) has obtained a patent on the manufacturing process for the drug candidate EndoTAG(TM)-1 from the US patent office. Patent no. 7,794,747 protects the manufacturing process used for EndoTAG(TM)-1 as well as the product manufactured by this process. The term of the patent “Method of producing a cationic liposomal preparation comprising a lipophilic compound” will end on January 25, 2024.

Dr. Frank Mathias, Chief Executive Officer of MediGene AG commented: “MediGene possesses extensive protection for EndoTAG(TM)-1 and the EndoTAG(TM) technology in both Europe and the USA. We are delighted that now, just as is already the case in Europe, a US patent has been granted on the EndoTAG(TM)-1 manufacturing process, and consequently the product is also further protected. This fulfils an important prerequisite for the future commercialization of the drug.”

EndoTAG(TM)-1: EndoTAG™-1 represents an innovative therapeutic approach that has its effect by both targeted anti-vascular (i.e. against newly formed tumor blood vessels), and anti-tumoral (directed against the tumor) mechanisms. The drug candidate selectively attaches itself to newly developed, negatively charged tumor blood vessels, thus attacking only these blood vessels and not those in healthy tissue. Concurrently, EndoTAG™-1 prevents the formation of new vessels, which is expected to suppress further tumor growth. EndoTAG™-1 is a combination of positively charged liposomes with the therapeutic substance Paclitaxel embedded therein.


EndoTAG™-1 is MediGene’s first product candidate derived from the EndoTAG™ platform technology. MediGene has achieved positive results with EndoTAG™-1 in a controlled phase II clinical trial in pancreatic cancer and in another phase II clinical trial in triple receptor-negative breast cancer. In Europe and the USA, EndoTAG™-1 has been granted orphan drug designation which provides benefits in the drug development and approval processes. MediGene is aiming to sign one or more partnership agreements for this product with pharmaceutical or biotech companies in 2010.

This press release contains forward-looking statements representing the opinion of MediGene as of the date of this release. The actual results achieved by MediGene may differ significantly from the forward-looking statements made herein. MediGene is not bound to update any of these forward-looking statements. MediGene® and EndoTAG™ are registered trademarks of MediGene AG. These trademarks may be owned or licensed in select locations only.


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MediGene AG is a publicly listed (Frankfurt, Prime Standard: MDG) biotechnology company located in Martinsried/Munich, Germany, with subsidiaries in Oxford, UK and San Diego, USA. MediGene is the first German biotech company to have drugs on the market which are distributed by partner companies. It has several drug candidates in clinical development and possesses innovative platform technologies. MediGene focuses on clinical research and development of novel drugs with a focus on oncology.